Blood Rush
by latenightfanfic
Summary: **WARNING: MAY BE GRAPHIC OR DISTURBING IN LATER CHAPTERS** Colt's getting a roommate-and she has no idea what to do when she find's out it's Jerome. The two form a strange bond, and as Colt becomes more and more depressed, Jerome has to admit to himself-and to her-that his feelings for her are more than friendship. Rated M for violence/sex.
1. Chapter 1: Roommates

**Well I stayed up working on this one...**

**DON'T QUESTION WHY I MADE THIS ONE TAKE PLACE IN AN APARTMENT ALSO OK! I JUST LIKE APARTMENTS AND ROOMATES DON'T JUDGE ME NO FLAME**

**And for anyone who's wondering, Ember and Haylee are some new characters of mine, Ember is Colt's best friend and Haylee is Ember's half-sister/Colt and Ember's BFF. **

**Anyway please leave reviews and stuff, I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. Enjoy!**

* * *

Colt walked through the halls of the apartment complex she would share with the Minecrafters. After months of organization, her best friend and fellow Minecrafter Dawn, had managed to get her in. Over the phone, the two had talked roommates and boys, excitingly awaiting the day Colt would arrive. Dawn had given her the key to her room in the lobby as she ran out with her boyfriend Adam to go on a date, and told her that her roommate had already arrived.

Walking down the hall to Room 1218, she took a deep breath and opened the door. The living room was pleasingly neat, and her room had been marked. Walking cautiously in, she shut the door and set her things on the bed. She unpacked her clothes and put the sheets on the bed hurriedly, eager to meet her roommate. Stepping timidly into the hall, she squeaked as she collided with another person.

Colt heard a yelp from the person as they both stumbled backwards, slightly stunned. Rubbing her head, she blinked, trying to clear her vision. As the world came into focus, she saw her roommate: a tall guy of about 6 feet with close-cropped blond hair and sharp blue eyes. He shook his head, obviously just as dazed as she was. "Sorry!" she said, feeling awful.

He just looked at her. "Who the hell are you?"

Colt suppressed a rude remark, looking indignant. "Your roommate, smartass. Who the hell are _you_?"

"I'm Jerome."

She almost fell over again. "Jerome, huh? I'm Colt." she said.

Jerome looked quizzically at her for a moment. "Dawn's friend?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Cool."

"Yup."

Colt felt awkward as Jerome sized her up. He wasn't half-bad looking, but he certainly had an asshole streak. She ran a hand anxiously through her long brown hair, biting her lip in thought. Then, sighing, she walked down the hall and out the door. "Bye, Jerome. See ya' later."

Jerome called after her. "Bye, _chica_!"

Colt rolled her eyes as she trotted down the stairs to Dawn's room. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she stopped midstride, leaning against a wall to answer it.

-_COLT! _

_-Hey, Haylee._

_-GUESS WATTTT?!_

_-what?_

_-ehehhehehe_

_-Hayzlebutt._

_-PUMA PROPOSED!_

_-HOLY FUCK WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN_

_-Like, yesterday!_

_-AHHHHHHHHHHH_

_-I KNOWWWWW_

_-….._

_-…_

_-YO MAN_

_-oh my god colt. MY MAN_

_-I gtg. Baiiiiiii_

_-bai_

Stuffing her phone back in her pocket, Colt smiled. Finally! Haylee and her boyfriend (he was her fiancé now, Colt reminded herself) had been together for nearly five years, and now that they were finally out of college, everyone had been waiting for the two to get married. Then Colt's smile faded as she remembered her ex-boyfriend Bolt, in the hospital with possibly fatal lung cancer. God, she was so alone.

Continuing the walk down the stairs lost in thought, she didn't hear the footsteps sneaking up behind her. Hands covered her eyes, and Colt screamed as a hand pulled her in by her chest. "Guess who?" a voice whispered in her ear mysteriously.

Colt smiled. "Damn it, Jason!" she laughed as the hand was removed from her eyes. She was spun around and lifted into the arms of her best friend Jason, better known as MinecraftUniverse. They had been best friends since first grade, and at one point they had even been a couple, but now they were just friends.

Jason set her down and grinned madly. "I'm not the only one who wants to see you, girlie!" he said, pressing himself against the wall as a loud screech echoed from above. As a confused, then shocked look crossed Colt's face, a girl of about 20 ran full force into her, wrapping her in a bear hug. 'COLT! You're here!" the young woman yelped, jumping happily.

Colt threw back her head, laughing so hard she could barely breathe. "EMBAH!" she said, giggling now. Jason peeled himself off the wall, still grinning deviously. "You two are insane." He said, flashing a crazy look at Colt and then putting his arm around Ember's shoulders. "I will never understand girls."

Colt and Ember smiled and both gave him looks. "Riiight, because you and Bodil TOTALLY didn't freak out when he got in this morning." Ember said, affectionately leaning into her boyfriend's chest.

Colt raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Do tell."

Ember gave her friend an even bigger grin. "Jason practically fangirled over Bodil when he came in from his flight!" she said.

Jason flushed. "I did not fangirl! I-I….."

The two girls laughed hysterically as Jason flushed even harder. Finally, he started laughing too. "Dammit, Ce!" he said, stealing a kiss on the cheek. Colt rolled her eyes. "You lovebirds, you." she said. "Who else is waiting for me?"

Ember brushed her short brown hair from her face. "Well, everyone! Dawn and I spread it around."

Colt grinned. "Shall we go say hello?"


	2. Chapter 2: Friend or Enemy?

Even after Colt said goodbye to Ember and the others to sack out for the night, she could hardly find herself sleepy. Jerome wasn't back yet, so she didn't need to worry about waking him up with her near constant moving about. Eventually, she surrendered and simply lay there in the unfamiliar bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Around two o'clock that morning, she heard the door creak open loudly. She had almost been asleep, and _now_ he had to get home. This had better not be a habit, Colt thought in irritation. Opening her eyes, she flipped over and stuffed a pillow over her head, trying to block out the sound of his shuffling about. Eventually, she heard his door shut, and she closed her eyes in relief, ready to sleep.

Colt was out cold in minutes. She did not dream, to be exact, she simply sat in her head and thought about things that the conscious mind would not comprehend. But once again, for the second time that night, a loud noise woke her. She made a snarling noise in exasperation, opening her eyes to bright light streaming in the window. It sounded as though Jerome was in the kitchen making breakfast, but she was tired and grumpy enough that she decided against it, even as the smell of bacon wafted in. Slipping into a tight-fitting black tee and shorts, Colt slipped out the door and trundled sleepily down the stairs to the parking lot. She drove over to the nearest Starbucks, ordered a coffee, and downed it, praying the caffeine kicked in soon. She headed over to the park, leaned up against a tree, and was out again within minutes.

A few hours later, Colt woke up to the afternoon sun beating down on her face. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she pulled out her phone. It was almost 3 in the afternoon! Everyone must be wondering where she was. Jogging to her car, she drove the short distance to the apartments and went back up to her room. There was no sign of Jerome, though. Thank god. She probably would've decked him for keeping her up all night.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated insistently in her pocket.

_-Colt?_

_-Hey Ember. Sup?_

_-Where the hell are you?_

_-I was at the park._

_-The fuck were you doing? Everyone's wondering where you are._

_-I was sleeping. Calm your tits._

_-Why…..?_

_-Couldn't sleep last night._

_-Ohho?_

_-Me and Jerome weren't getting it on, dumbfuck. _

_-Aw._

_-He kept me up all night._

_-I KNEW IT!_

_-god you're dumb. Not like that!_

_-Haha! Meet me in the lobby!_

_-Fine._

Colt stuffed her phone back in her back pocket, sighing as she jogged back down to the lobby. Ember might've been her best friend, but that didn't mean they didn't annoy each other. Naturally, she would have to get back at her-that was only right.

Ember poked her from behind as she reached the lobby. Colt turned, grinning. "So what's up?"

"Wanna do a video with me, Jason, and Jerome?"

"You really asked me all the way down here for that?"

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"Fine. Leggo!"

As the two girls trotted up the stairs, they chattered excitedly about what map they should do. Ember had her famous Budder Map in mind, while Colt thought they should do Hunger Games. When they got to Ember and Jason's room, the two guys were already waiting, laptops ready. Colt pulled hers from her bag as Ember booted hers. "Get ready to be owned at Hunger Games!" said Jason, giving Colt a competitive grin. Colt smiled back.

"You already know I'll beat you, Jason!" she said.

Jason just smiled deviously as they all started recording. "Hey guys, Jerome here with Jason-"

"WASSUP?"

"-Ember-"

"SCREECH!"

"-and Colt!"

"Prepare for ownage."

"Right, so today we're doing Hunger Games and since everyone knows what that is I'm not explaining it."

"Shut up Jerome. Hunger Games is like survival games but better." Said Ember.

"And that is why I will own all of you."

"Colt's just scared she'll lose." Piped in Jason.

"No, I'm distracting you, and I got to the big chest first."

"AHHHH! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" yelped Jerome as Ember went after him with a gold sword.

"FEEL THE POWER OF BUDDER!" Ember said, beating him as he tried to put his armor on.

By now, Colt and Jason had put their own armor on and were chasing each other around the map. Colt had somehow scavenged a diamond sword, but Jason had TNT.

He lit some up. "Gotcha!"

Colt dodged, taking a hit. She reverted to her bow. "Because I don't have flaming arrows." She said as she lit some up in front of him, exploding it.

Jason was down to a heart. "Dammit!" he yelled as she landed the final hit.

"OWNED!"

Ember laughed hysterically as Jason and Jerome cursed. "Girls are gonna win this!"

"We're teamed?"

"That's right Jerome. You're fucked!"

Jerome beat the desk. "Dammit Jason! You had to die on me?"

"It's hard watching you struggle, man."

"You dick."

Later on, after the recording, both Jerome and Colt headed back to their apartment. Neither of them spoke, Colt mainly trying not to deck him for her loss of sleep.

Finally, Jerome broke the silence. "Did I keep you up last night?"

"Hell yeah you did."

"Sorry not sorry, my friend."

Colt stopped mid-stride. "You little-"

Jerome poked her. "I'm _kidding!"_

Colt glared seethingly. "Yeah, and I hadn't slept in three fucking days. Who wins?"

"Oh, fuck off."

"Same to you." She snapped, storming to her room and locking the door.

He knocked. "Colt, I'm sorry!"

"Fuck off Jerome!"

"Colt!"

"LEAVE IT!" she snapped, curling under the covers. Too much had happened, with Bolt's cancer and her best friend's suicide and now this. She was just tired. She wanted to disappear.


	3. Chapter 3: A Meeting With Death

Around midnight, Colt woke up to her phone vibrating on the bedside table.

_-Hey Colt, I've got some bad news._

_-What, at this hour, Ember?_

_-Bolt's surgery failed._

_-what!?_

_-He's gone, C._

_-no!_

_-I'm not lying. I'm sorry._

_-goodbye._

_-Colt…_

Colt turned off her phone, stuffing her face into the pillow, tears streaming down her face. It wasn;'t possible! Her best friend, the strong one, the only guy who had ever understood her….gone. Just like that. He was going to beat the cancer! Even the doctors had said so!

She couldn't, wouldn't, accept this. He had to be alive. Grabbing her phone again, she turned it on and called the hospital.

"Hello, this is Hospital of Newtown. How may I help you today?"

"Yes, I'm calling about a Daniel Breyne."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, he was pronounced dead only an hour ago. Family?"

"No, just a friend. Thank you." She said, hanging up quickly. Now she was really sobbing. Gasping, tears streaming down her face, she remembered how he had always been there for her when she cried. Now he wasn't there, he would never be there. Rocking, she clenched her hands into the pillow. He was really gone.


	4. Chapter 4: Bloodrush

Nearly a month later, Colt was at her breaking point. Ember danced around the topic, as did Dawn and Adam. She had no one to talk to, and Jerome was still fighting with her. Their fights became more and more heated as her grief and temper were stretched thinner every day. She was at her wits end when she received a phonecall at five in the morning.

"Hello?"

"Is this Miss Fountain?"

"Yessir. Who is this?"

"This is the Department of Defense. We have a message from Sergeant Meghan for you."

Colt paused for a minute. She hadn't heard from Snake since she had entered the Marines years earlier. Why would she contact her now?

"Ma'am?"

"I'm still here. What is the message?"

"The Sergeant wanted me to inform you of your friend Sergeant Jordan's death."

Colt paused yet again. Apache? Was that who Snake meant?

"Sergeant Gavin Jordan?"

"Yes ma'am."

"How did it happen?"

"He blew himself up."

"You mean he was blown up by the enemy?"

"No, ma'am. I mean he blew himself up."

"He committed suicide?"

"Yes, Ma'am, that would be how the look of things are."

"Thank you for delivering the message."

"Of course."

After the man hung up, Colt sat there, stunned. She was too stunned to even cry. Apache? Dead? Committed suicide? Impossible.

Then again, he always had been unstable since Snake and he had fought. Then to factor in the PTSD from previous deployments….it wouldn't be too far fetched.

Now the tears came, as she remembered what a good friend he had been. He and Bolt….just gone, just like that. Colt rocked, sobbing hysterically. Who was she supposed to tell? No one would want to speak of it, no one would get it. When would all of this pain end? she wondered. And why did it have to happen now, when she was already depressed and wanting to disappear?

That night, Colt sat in bed, crying faintly. She wouldn't go to sleep, her dreams would be just as hellish as they were when she was awake. Sliding to the floor, she took out her pencil sharpener. Grabbing at the screw, she hastily removed the blade. It shone in the moonlight, looking oddly beautiful and inviting. Colt hadn't cut since she was in middle school…..but it would help everything, she told herself. Rolling up her sleeve, she drew the blade across her skin in long, deep lines of crimson. The blood trickled out, pooling on her arm, thankfully not dripping.

She tiptoed to her bathroom, letting the blood flow down her arm into the sink. Colt watched it, numb to every feeling, physical and mental. Washing away the blood, she cleaned the cuts and slipped into a black turtleneck, hiding her arms. Her scars were just more bait for people to judge her on, and she didn't need that. But at least the pain was gone.

The next morning, Jerome looked curiously at her long sleeves. Had it been midsummer, her sleeves would've been desperately obvious and out of place, but since it was almost December, the only strange thing was the fact that they covered her hands.

For the next few days, Colt lay low in her room and kept cutting. Scars covered her arms, and when there was no more room, she cut her legs and hips. She began to wear long jeans and long sleeves, and since it was still early November and not terribly cold yet in North Dakota, everyone gave her jacket and long pants some odd looks. Thankfully, no one asked her if she was okay. She hated lying.

One day, Colt and Jerome and Ember were doing a recording on the Walls server Ember liked so much. She had made Jerome and Colt do the recording, knowing they needed to vent, mainly because of their horrible relationship. Suddenly, when Ember wasn't looking, Colt's sleeve slipped up to reveal some of her scars. Jerome caught it though, and as she hurriedly went to pull up her sleeve, he gave her a strange look. It wasn't anger, like it usually was, nor was it sadness. It was…..was that concern in his eyes? Why would he be concerned if they hated each other so much?

Shaking the thought off, she glared at Jerome and went back to the recording, not once meeting his eyes or even looking at him. The entire time, however, she felt his eyes on her, looking for any sign of weakness. Colt steeled herself, laughing as best she could and playing hard. When the recording ended, she excused herself quickly and ran back to the apartment.


	5. Chapter 5: Casualties

**Chapter Five**

Bursting in the door, Colt dumped her laptop and collapsed in a heap in her room. She heard Jerome calling her name from the door as he entered, but she didn't want to hear his ridicule. Reaching for her box of blades, she heard his footsteps down the hall. Curling in the corner, she grabbed a silver knife, preparing to draw it across her skin.

Suddenly, Jerome burst into her room, looking terrified. He saw the blade in her hand and the tears in her eyes, and was instantly at her side. He took the blade and put his arms protectively around her. Colt could feel him shaking, and she tried to move to roll up her sleeve. If he saw her scars….

He shifted, ending the embrace. "Colt, what the hell is going on?"

She shook her head. "It's fine, just don't worry about-"

"No, Colt. I'm going to fucking worry. I'm terrified. What aren't you telling me?"

Colt came back into her own head, suddenly defensive. She remembered how they always fought, how he always said he didn't give a damn. That made her snap. "Why the hell would you give a damn, Jerome? You never do, after all. What changed? Why should I fucking tell you?" she raged, eyes blazing and body tensed. Jerome leaned back, looking for all the world like a scared rabbit.

"Exactly!" she snapped, standing. "Nothing."

Colt started to stalk out of the room, and was almost to the door when she felt Jerome grab her arm gently. "Colt, please."

She spun, even more pissed off. "Let go of me!" she hissed.

"Not until you tell me what's happened."

"No!"

"Colt."

"Forget it, Jerome!"

"I can't."

"The hell you can!"

Colt ripped her arm from his grasp, reaching again for the door. But this time, she didn't even make it halfway. Jerome spun her around, grabbing her wrists. "I need to know, Colt!"

Colt felt her anger boiling even more. "Then what the hell changed?!" she snapped, twisting and writhing as she tried to escape his grasp.

Jerome closed his eyes and took a deep breath, like he was preparing to throw himself off a cliff. Colt felt his grip loosen, and she seized the chance, twisting away and backing into the door, tensed.

Yet he made no move to come after her, and she made no effort to escape, curiosity overwhelming her rage. "Colt-" he began, looking her in the eyes.

Colt gave him a glare.

"Colt, I know you won't believe me, but-"

Colt started getting impatient. "_What_, for Christ's sakes?"

Jerome blinked and looked away, seemingly ashamed. "I fell in love with you."

Colt was stunned speechless for a moment, but only for a moment. "You're fucking kidding me."

"I'm dead serious."

She rubbed her temple, sighing. Now that her rage was fading, all she wanted to do was cry and disappear. She needed to cut. "Jerome, I need some time to-"

He cut her off. "Colt, no. Not until I know what's going on."

Colt felt her anger boil again. "One fucking word: suicide. There you go. Done. Leave me alone."

Jerome looked like he'd been shot. "Oh, Colt. I-"

"Don't say you're sorry. I know you aren't. And even if you were, you can't do shit. I want to die, and I'm going to find a way to do it."

Immediately Colt regretted ever saying such a thing. How could she put someone else through what she had gone through? She was a monster! Who did that?

Shaking, she collapsed in a heap on the floor. Curling, she shook with sobs, gasping for air. For a moment, Jerome just looked shocked. But then he was lying next to her, pushing hair away from her face and gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. He made no attempt to touch her otherwise, and he didn't make her speak.

Eventually, Colt stopped crying. She just lay there, wanting to disappear, seemingly lifeless. "I just want to die. Why can't you let me go peacefully?" she begged Jerome, looking so distraught and empty.

Jerome sighed as she got to her feet, and he rose with her. "Colt, I'm not going to leave you alone."

Colt was too tired to be angry. "Jerome. Please." she implored, pointing to her door. "Give me time."

He balked. "No. Not now that I know-"

"Get. Out. Before. I. Fucking. Kill. You."

Jerome sighed sadly. "Colt. Please."

"NO."

"Fine. But remember, kill yourself, and you're killing me too."


	6. Chapter 6: Sweet Remorse

**Chapter Six**

When Jerome left, Colt shut her door tightly and flopped back down in the corner. She just wanted to die. Her life was her hell now, and she was weary of it. All she wanted to do was die. For several hours, Colt simply stared at the window as the sky faded to black and the clock ticked to 2 in the morning.

Then , finally, she came back to the present. Her arms itched to cut, and the silver blade still by her bed was so shiny and tempting. Colt grabbed it, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. Slicing the blade across her arms, she watched the blood run red down her arms, a bright crimson. This time, she didn't stop when her arm was soaked. She felt pain rise like bile in her throat, and she wanted to make deeper slices, longer slices.

Suddenly, some sane part of her mind took over. _Stop!_ it yelled. _Don't kill yourself! _

Staggering in shock, Colt scrubbed the blood from her arms, stopping the bloodflow. She needed help, that she knew. Sobbing softly, she made her way to the door and headed to Jerome's room. Much to her surprise, he was already coming to her. He saw the tears on her cheeks, but she had rolled down her sleeves over the scars. Wrapping her in his arms, Jerome simply held her close to him, drinking in her scent.

"Colt, what do you need?" he asked, looking her in the eye.

"I need someone. Someone to keep me from throwing myself out of the window."

Jerome smiled sadly. "I'd be glad to."

They ended up on the sofa, Colt curled in his arms and tangled in blankets. She leaned her head on his chest, listening to him breathe. She could feel him playing with her long hair, and she found herself thinking how he would never love her if he knew about _all_ of her scars.

Almost like he had heard her thoughts, Jerome tilted her head towards his. "What _do_ you hide under those long sleeves, Colt?"

"My scars."

He was silent for a moment, and Colt felt crushed. "I'm sorry, I-"

Jerome shook his head, "Colt, let me see your scars."

She tensed. "Why?"

"Because I want to see how many times you needed me, and how many times I wasn't there."

Colt buried her head in his chest, shaking a bit. Then she sat up, rolling her sleeves up as high as they would go, revealing the slices on her arm that went deeper than anyone could've ever thought.

She felt Jerome suck in in surprise, and made to roll her sleeves back down. But Jerome never gave her time. He twined her in his arms, tangling his hands in her hair. He was going to-no, she was going to! Putting her arms around his neck, Colt pulled herself to Jerome, kissing him full on the lips with an intensity that surprised even her.

He didn't seem too surprised. As the kiss broke, he simply smiled at her, looking somewhat dreamily into her eyes. Colt realized they how tangled they were, and that this was the closest she'd ever been to him. She smiled back, and surprised him by making absolutely no effort to untangle herself from his arms. If anything, she curled closer, making his blood rush and his heart pound. Colt knew she was driving him crazy, and she felt the thudding of his heart against hers. Jerome ran a lazy hair through her hair, then let it fall down her arm to the scars on her forearm.

It was Colt's turn to be surprised, as Jerome lifted her arm gently and kissed her scars. Her heart felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest, and he knew it. Clutching her ever closer, he kissed her again, letting it grow ever more intense as he let a lazy hand slip down her body to her waist. Colt shivered, overwhelmed, and as they finally came up for air, she stared into his handsome blue eyes, then curled back against his chest. They both emitted contented sighs, smiling. Soon, Colt was asleep in his arms.

The next morning, when Colt awoke, she and Jerome were still tangled in the blankets-and each other. She was practically wrapped around him, her legs hugging her to his waist and their arms around each other. His hands were farther down her body than she had thought, right by her butt. Hers were wrapped around his neck, and her head was buried in his chest. Closing her eyes again, Colt practically purred. He shifted, so close to her now that she felt herself dangerously close to the edge. She needed to move. Lifting her legs away from him without difficulty, she chose not to remove her arms. Suddenly, he woke up.

"Morning, Colt."

"Morning."

"Glad to see you alive,"

"Me too, I guess." she said, although the ache of her depression was still largely there.

Jerome kissed her forehead, obviously just as close to the edge as she was. "I really wasn't kidding when I said you would kill me, too, Colt."

"I know."


End file.
